Michal and David Dispute the Honor of Heaven Before the Ark

"And it was, as the Ark of the LORD came into the City of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul..." (2 Samuel 6:16). She said to him: Those of my father's house had a kingship finer than yours. Heaven forbid that anyone should ever have seen of them, in their days, a handsbreadth of palm or a handsbreadth of heel uncovered; rather, all of them were more dignified than you. And what did David say to her? "Before the LORD, who chose me over your father..." (2 Samuel 6:21). He said to her: Those of your father's house seek their own honor and forsake the honor of Heaven; but I do not act so. Rather, I forsake my own honor and seek the honor of Heaven. You might say that I was lowly in the eyes of others and despised, but not in my own eyes; therefore Scripture teaches: "And I shall be yet more lowly in my own eyes, and with the handmaids..." (2 Samuel 6:22). David said to her: Michal, Heaven forbid that you should be counted among the "imahot" (the matriarchs/mothers); rather, only among the "amahot" (the handmaids). "And she said: How honored was the king of Israel today..." (2 Samuel 6:20). She said to him: Would that it had been in the eyes of the sons of men! But rather it was in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, "as one of the empty ones uncovers himself" (2 Samuel 6:20). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: like those "arbis tirem."